Pray Without Ceasing
Good Morning Friends,
Over the Fourth of July Holiday I would like you to do something really important. You may have to work your way up to this incrementally and you may find keeping your mouth shut helpful until you get the hang of it as a worry free and unforced action. You probably will suffer…no, you will suffer… the world is going to fight you on this, but if you smile a lot and love a lot, you might just be able to Pray Without Ceasing.
Scripture: Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed.
Mark 1:35 (NIV)
Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing the things that you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and the God of peace will be with you.
Philippians 4:4-9 (NRSV)
Message: Are you ready to bring prayer into everything you do? You may want to start out with some quite time each day as an anchor, then explore how you can extend it out into the world. Make no mistake about this. Communication is the most important thing in a relationship so think with the mind in Christ Jesus. This is about a relationship between you and God and the world. So listen before you talk, knowing that if you are in Christ the right words will come. Bring prayer into everything you do. Friends, being a disciple in unceasing prayer takes discipline…It takes both listening and talking… communicating with both grace and works. Friends, neglecting prayer is like going into battle unarmed. Mother Teresa put it this way:
The fruit of SILENCE is Prayer
The fruit of PRAYER is Faith
The fruit of FAITH is Love
The fruit of LOVE is Service
The Fruit of SERVICE is Peace
Pray we not neglect our own spiritual nourishment. Pray that with every breath we make an offering of love… a confession of the heart. Pray we rejoice in all things. Pray we are thankful. Pray we are in the Spirit as we pray for others. Pray we ask for what we need not what we want. Pray we have all the tools we need to serve God and are equipped with the wisdom to use them in the will of God. Pray we bring our prayers into both our daily actions and also into the throne room of God. Pray we are ready when God answers to serve.
Daily Devotionals 